The Acer Swift 3 is a more portable and lightweight option with a 14-inch touchscreen display, better for carrying around and using on-the-go, whereas the HP 17" Laptop offers a larger 17.3-inch screen, which is good for more immersive experiences and could be more comfortable for long work sessions, but it's heavier and less convenient to travel with. The Acer has better battery life, making it suitable for longer use without charging, and the HP’s larger screen demands more power, leading to shorter battery life. Both laptops have similar storage and memory, but if you need to use demanding applications, consider that the Acer uses an Intel processor and the HP uses an AMD processor with integrated Vega graphics, which may perform differently depending on the specific task. Additionally, the Acer's design might be better suited for general use and light to moderate productivity tasks, while the HP could provide a slight edge in graphics performance. Keep in mind that the HP may not be as easy to carry due to its larger size and weight, potentially affecting everyday comfort and portability. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Acer Swift 3
Good for engineering and design
Good overall build quality
Very good portability
Very good battery life
Good keyboard
Advantages of the HP 17" Laptop
The HP 17" Laptop has no clear advantages over the Acer Swift 3.
Key differences
Software Development
7.6/10
7.1/10
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Acer Swift 3 and HP 17" Laptop are both good for software development, though the Acer Swift 3 is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
6.8/10
6.6/10
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
309.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
287.0 nits
The Acer Swift 3 has a better screen than the HP 17" Laptop for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Swift 3 offers a bright, high-resolution display which enhances the clarity and detail for general use and engineering tasks, with accurate colors covering a range of color gamuts, important for design work. However, its refresh rate is lower, which is a disadvantage for gaming and 3D modeling where smoother motion and quicker response times are key. The HP 17" Laptop provides an adequately clear and color-accurate display for day-to-day and professional engineering tasks, but it falls short in gaming and 3D performance due to an average refresh rate that does not cater to the need for rapid onscreen action.
Battery
12.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Acer Swift 3 has 12 hours of battery life. The HP 17" Laptop has 5.5 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.5 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Acer Swift 3 has very good portability, while the HP 17" Laptop has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
6.0/10
The Acer Swift 3 has good build quality, while the HP 17" Laptop has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$500
$850
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Acer Swift 3 has a price of $500 and the HP 17" Laptop costs $850.
The Acer Swift 3 and HP 17" Laptop are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
6.3/10
6.2/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Swift 3 and HP 17" Laptop are both only fair for gaming and AI.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
7.1/10
6.8/10
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift 3 to be good for engineering and design, while the HP 17" Laptop is only fair.
The Acer Swift 3 offers a good balance for engineering and design with its Intel CPU, ample RAM, capable integrated graphics, and a high-quality IPS touchscreen, plus it is lighter and boasts longer battery life for better portability. In contrast, the HP 17" Laptop features a robust AMD Ryzen CPU and Vega graphics on a larger non-touch IPS display, which may better suit heavy-duty tasks, but it is heavier with a lower battery life, which means it's less convenient to carry around.
Content Creation
7.6/10
7.2/10
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift 3 and HP 17" Laptop are both good for content creation.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
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How the Acer Swift 3 and the HP 17" Laptop compare to other laptops
"With the Swift 3, Acer delivers a 14-inch laptop with a sleek, slim metal chassis. The latter is of high quality and sturdy enough for everyday use, which is a real plus point among the 700-Euro (~$798) models. A new feature is Thunderbolt 4 in the Type-C format for peripherals or even displays (DisplayPort via Type-C). Unfortunately, a card reader is still missing, and the RAM is completely onboard, so there are no upgrade options here. Acer's 14-incher is affordable, yet it does everything most would want from a truly mobile laptop: Long battery life, a great display, quality, sufficient ports, light weight, and low noise and heat emissions."
"As far as starter laptops go, the HP Laptop 17 is a sound investment. Sure, it might not be the lightest of options, but what you get for the price is a well-rounded machine that fits multiple niches. Whether it be office duties that require you to multi-task between multiple programs, or study tasks in which you’ll spend hours browsing online, this laptop does it all. Plus, when it's time to unwind, you can watch your favorite shows or movies on a super-wide display. What's best of all is that you can do all this for about half a day on a single charge."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift 3 or the HP 17" Laptop
About Acer
Acer is a prominent Taiwanese electronics brand which makes a wide range of laptops, with multiple product lines catering to personal use, gaming, and business use. They are renowned for having exceptional value for money, as they frequently offer good specifications at a lower price than other manufacturers.
About HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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